THE METROPOLITAN CHALLENGE IN EUROPE: GOVERNING AT SCALE IN AUSTERITY European Metropolitan Authorities Forum Turin February 2016 Professor Michael Parkinson CBE Executive Director Heseltine Institute
Address 7 Challenges 1. Why do EMAs matter? 2. What is goal metropolitan policy? 3. How EMAs deliver competitiveness cohesion? 4. How govern & deliver across EMAs at scale? 5. How EMAs contribute more national economy? 6. How can EU help EMAs more? 7. So what for EMAs & policy?
1. WHY DO EMAs MATTER?
1.WHY DO EMAs MATTER? Context Globalisation loss power national, local state Economic & technological restructuring Porschehamburger economy Increasing competition places winners & losers Institutional &welfare state restructuring increased vulnerability Uneven development within & between city regions 4
1.WHY DO EMAs MATTER? Won intellectual battle last decade Winning political battle? City regions are back again! Not drains on economy or basket cases Assets not liabilities Wealth of nations Drive national & European economy Agglomeration & urban assets crucial successful modern economies
1.WHY DO EMAs MATTER? Past and future different countries NICE decade some people, places Built buoyant economy, public spend Not in future austerity Development model broken debt, consumption, residential, retail Different roles EMAs knowledge, creative, green? Uncertainty - security, prosperity, cohesion, immigration, financial, energy, sustainability, global markets So new governance challenges EMAs at scale 6
2. WHAT CHALLENGE EMA POLICY?
2. WHAT CHALLENGE EMA POLICY? Not just regeneration not only poor places or people Overall performance whole urban system Economic place making So policy at all levels must encourage Economic, social balance within EMAs/city regions Maximise performance individual city regions Balanced, sustainable national urban system Drivers success- innovation, diversity, human capital, connectivity, place quality, governance/leadership
2. WHAT CHALLENGE EMA POLICY? Constant dilemmas: Neighbourhoods or wider urban system? Economic, social or physical? Social need or economic opportunity? Competition or partnership? Market, state or community? People or places? Institutional change or improved processes? Neighbourhood, city, city region, region level? Explicit or implicit?
2. WHAT CHALLENGE EMA POLICY? Policies shift constantly Sometimes blame victim, sometimes not Sometimes economic, or social or physical Usually neighbourhoods, occasionally city, little city regions, very little national urban system Occasionally mainstream, but usually initiatives Sometimes need, sometimes opportunity All state or all market Sometimes partnership, sometimes competition Community in then out Need policy stability
3. HOW DELIVER COMPETITIVENESS & COHESION WITHIN EMAs?
3. HOW DELIVER COMPETITIVENESS & COHESION WITHIN EMAs? Improved vertical policy integration Improved horizontal policy integration Link mainstream to area-based Economic, social & environmental Powerful delivery mechanisms Involve partners private & community Larger scale 12
3. HOW DELIVER COMPETITIVENESS & COHESION WITHIN EMAS? Many examples 20 years City Challenge, SRB, NDC, UDCS, LSPs, URCs, CDCs - UK Contrat de ViIle - France Kvarterloft - Denmark Area based Partnership - Ireland URBAN Europe All good all gone 13
3. HOW DELIVER COMPETITIVENESS & COHESION WITHIN EMAs? Political challenges Political support Financial & institutional support Integrate priorities national & local Align initiatives and main programmes Involve private sector Empower communities Transparency, accountability, partnership 14
3.HOW DELIVER COMPETITIVENESS & COHESION WITHIN EMAs? Success requires Focus competitiveness & cohesion Support places & people Align money & policies Scale & territory Contractual relationships Delivery and capacity Long term commitment 15
3. HOW DELIVER COMPETITIVENESS & COHESION WITHIN EMAs? Success requires: Visionary city leadership Effective partnerships Strategic approach Commitment mainstream departments Link regional neighbourhood strategies Co-ordination funding streams Involvement communities & private sector Strong national & EU lead 16
4. HOW GOVERN & DELIVER ACROSS EMAs AT SCALE?
4. HOW GOVERN & DELIVER ACROSS EMAs AT SCALE? Cities drive regions economically Everybody concerned relations cities & regions Scale crucial city too small, region too big Challenges fragmentation, suburbanisation, Rivalries personalities, politics, turf, money Political relationships played out wider stage If vision, strategy, partnership, leadership, centre Then easier govern at city region level If not more difficult
4. HOW GOVERN & DELIVER ACROSS EMAs AT SCALE? Barriers Lack of vision Institutional fragmentation Historic tensions Personal rivalries Place rivalries Party rivalries Economic rivalries Complacency Overlapping strategies Regional/urban conflicts
4. HOW GOVERN & DELIVER ACROSS EMAs AT SCALE? What works? It s the politics stupid! Leadership style Political maturity big not bully Trust smaller not exploited Benefits shared Time Common projects Delivery capacity Incentives national & EU
5. HOW EMAS CONTRIBUTE MORE NATIONAL ECONOMY? 21
5. HOW EMAS CONTRIBUTE MORE NATIONAL ECONOMY? Little debate urban hierarchy Must focus capitals Most focus social cohesion Some focus economic performance - innovation, economic diversity, skills, connectivity, place quality, governance. Evidence cities perform better - more decentralisation, deconcentration - more responsibilities powers, resources 23
5. HOW EMAS CONTRIBUTE MORE NATIONAL ECONOMY? Balance capital, second tier and decentralisation matters Capitals dominate - but gap varies & can close Many second tiers growing contribution, some outperform capital Capitals dominate economy more east than west link to under-development? Germany unique but instructive
Gap capitals & second tiers big But varies
Exceptions - Top Secondary Outperforms Capital: Germany, Austria, Italy, Belgium, Ireland GDP per capita PPS, 2007 50.000 45.000 40.000 35.000 30.000 25.000 20.000 15.000 10.000 5.000 0 National Secondary City
Top Secondary Lags Capital by 5-20%: Spain, UK, Netherlands, France GDP per capita PPS, 2007 National Secondary City 45.000 40.000 35.000 30.000 25.000 20.000 15.000 10.000 5.000 0
Top Secondary Lags Capital by 20-30%: Denmark, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Portugal 28
Top Secondary Lags Capital by 30-45%: Hungary, Romania, Lithuania, Greece, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia 29
Greater decentralisation decisionmaking Greater productivity second tiers
Decentralisation & Second Tier Average Productivity 2007
Capitals grow, regional inequality grows Second tiers grow, regional inequality falls
Capital more nation: regional inequality grows
Policy Messages Territorial governance & place matter more not less global economy Relationship capital second tiers not zero-sum, but win-win Little demand limit capitals Diseconomies scale - governments encourage second tier to complement capital Increase national economic pie - not kill golden goose
Policy Messages Decentralise responsibilities & resources Deconcentrate investment Territorial economic governance at scale Systematic national policies second tier city regions Greater transparency territorial investment Mainstream money & policies matter most Invest second tiers when (i) gap capital big, growing; (ii) weak business infrastructure because underinvestment (iii) negative externalities capital
WHAT IMPACT RECESSION?
Messages from Bust - Economic Performance Crisis undermine achievements second tiers Competition public & private investment widen gap between second tiers & capitals Competition public & private investment widen gaps within second tiers Greater regional inequality Decreased economic performance
Impact Boom European City Regions Growth Years Growth across Europe, range of performance Strong growth Baltics, Central & South East Europe Steady growth in Western Europe Southern Europe: some falling back (Italy) UK: relatively strong performance 40
Impact Bust European City Regions Recession Falls across Europe Reversal in Baltics Continuing strong performance in Poland & South East Western Europe declines except Germany Southern Europe decline UK: Falls nationwide, London, Bristol, Belfast, slightly better 41
6.HOW CAN EU HELP EMAs MORE?
6.HOW CAN EU HELP EMAs MORE? Nothing new under sun here many times before Ignore Euro jargon - focus purpose, process, politics Since 1992 EU urban 1 step forwards, 2 back Many declarations, many fewer actions Requires leadership & political will at many levels Commission did once show - but less recently Official Working Paper 2015 anti-climax Will Pact Amsterdam deliver? Hope so - but remember history!
6.HOW CAN EU HELP EMAs MORE? Past 1 step forwards, 2 steps back In future Commission must Be realistic political, financial constraints But ambitious Set sights high Give real leadership to debate 44
6.HOW CAN EU HELP EMAs MORE? In 2005 I said URBAN not perfect but Visible Impact Right principles Popular cities Linked cities to EU Kept issue up EU agenda Commission could influence outcome 45
6.HOW CAN EU HELP EMAs MORE? If URBAN kept should Have more resources Cover bigger area Focus competitiveness as well as cohesion If URBAN mainstreamed Resources ring fenced Cities choose places, priorities, implementation, monitoring Regions not control Commission to retain influence resources 46
6.HOW CAN EU HELP EMAs MORE? Abandoned URBAN but conditions not met so: Commission no consistent line urban Cities & stakeholders not involved enough Capacity to deliver is problem Differences Directorates agenda Continued urban rural split Not enough support from regions, Member States, Commission 47
6.HOW CAN EU HELP EMAs MORE? Has to Change priorities and culture Give integrated action Give sophisticated leadership Reverse retreat from place EU policy If Europe 2020: smart, sustainable, inclusive Need Cities 2020 48
6.HOW CAN EU HELP EMAs MORE? Commission Document 2015 anti-climax Year of consultation created little positive Recognises concerns but few responses European urban agenda not EU urban policy Little role cities No political champion Nothing governance Need more clarity, coherence, commitment, capacity, cash
WILL PACT OF AMSTERDAM DELIVER? Heart &head in right place, right noises at least Endorses Urban Acquis Puts urban centre stage Gets more actors involved Audit & monitor performance Integrate funding packages Beyond Structural Funds to urban actions Engage private sector
WILL PACT OF AMSTERDAM DELIVER? Wants Commission To integrate Improve contact with cities Capitalise experience Urban Impact Assessment Create political coordinator Get cities more involved EU targets Revise EU 20202 Write White Paper Monitor progress
WILL PACT OF AMSTERDAM DELIVER? Wants national governments More partnership working Involve cities more Involve stakeholders more ESIF support community development & ITI Keep urban up agenda Some good words future role: Parliament, COR, Cities
WILL PACT OF AMSTERDAM DELIVER? But Does it have the political clout to deliver? Many challenges - values, principles, operational Rewrites history last 20 years underestimates barriers Needs political will Commission & member states Must recognise & address barriers to success Beyond words to action Will Partnership and Steering groups have the powers? Enough incentives change attitude & behaviour? Should focus on purpose as well as process
WILL PACT OF AMSTERDAM DELIVER? Needs realism variety EU cities & differences states National patterns governance Resources & role of city regions Strategic ambitions of & for city regions Nature scale of challenge city regions National & local capacity deliver But draft Pact good start So let s hope - & ensure - it delivers
7. SO WHAT FOR POLICY? Crisis underlines urgency challenges Economic & moral imperative Place and scale matter Beyond neighbourhood to city regions 19 th century boundaries, 20 th century government, 21 st century economies Leadership - States & Commission 55
7. SO WHAT FOR POLICY? No silver bullet but National policies crucial Public sector crucial Balance government & cities -contractual, right powers& resources Work at scale, city region Voluntarism & incentives can work 56
7. SO WHAT FOR POLICY? Competitiveness cohesion complementary Beyond renaissance to competitiveness Entrepreneurial attitudes more than tools Long termism crucial Networks benefits outweigh costs Encouraging public risk taking Share risk & reward private sector 57
7. SO WHAT FOR POLICY? Economic place making Territorial governance & balance Sustainable economic, social, environment Authenticity & diversity Political capacity Public legitimacy 58
THANKS michael.parkinson@liverpool.ac.uk
THANKS michael.parkinson@liverpool.ac.uk